On the afternoon of June 16, 2013, Tucson Police officers responded to 50 West King in response to a 911 call about a shooting incident. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male, who was suffering from obvious signs of trauma. He was seated in the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle.
Emergency medical personnel from the Tucson Fire Department also responded to the scene. After assessing the victim, they transported him to a local hospital for further medical evaluation and treatment. Unfortunately, the male victim succumbed to his injuries while at the hospital and was pronounced deceased on the evening of June 16, 2013. His identity is being withheld pending next of kin notification.
Detectives learned that the male victim and a female passenger had encountered another male and female while at a store on North Oracle Road at approximately 4:30 p.m. on June 16, 2013. While in the parking lot of the store, a verbal confrontation ensued between members of each pair.
The suspect, later identified as 32-year old James Lee Derrington, was seen with a rifle at that time. After seeing the rifle, the male victim and his female passenger left the area in their vehicle and drove to 50 West King. Unbeknownst to them, Derrington and his female passenger followed them to the address on West King. The victim’s female passenger had exited the vehicle to make contact with a resident. Derrington drove his vehicle up to the victim’s vehicle, stopping alongside it. Derrington fired his weapon at the victim, striking him at least once. Derrington then drove away from the area with his female passenger still in the car.
The detectives were able to determine that the males and females in each of the vehicles had prior relationships and/or knowledge of each other. They also received information relating to the location where the gun used by Mr. Derrington could be located. While in the process of recovering the gun and continuing their investigation, the detectives learned that Pima County Sheriff’s Department deputies located Mr. Derrington after he walked out of a desert area in the vicinity of North La Cholla Road and West Ruthrauff Road. He was taken into custody without incident.
Derrington was charged with 1 count of First Degree Murder, a felony offense. He was transported and booked into the Pima County Jail.